Roland Bolt 60

I got this amp at Steve's Music in Toronto in 1979, when they first came out. I saw it advertised in some guitar player magazine of the day, and it looked pretty cool, being the first hybrid tube/solid state amp ever introduced. Its comparisons to Mesa Boogie amps are what clinched it for me, and it has been with me ever since. It's my main metal, blues, R&B, etc. amp. I blew out the stock spring reverb unit one crazy night, but after a couple of diodes were replaced the amp works fine. albeit without reverb. Funny thing about that reverb unit; the amp is made in Japan, but the reverb unit was "manufactured by beautiful girls in Milton Wis under atmosphere controlled conditions" as stated on its label!
Others have outlined the knob array so I won't reapeat.

I've never been able to go above 4 on the clean channel, or 6 on master with Vol 1 & 2 fully cranked on the overdrive side. I keep all the tone knobs up full and adjust on my guitar if necessary. I seldom use pedals, sometimes a Dunlop Crybaby, sometimes an MXR flanger. I also own a '64 Fender blond Bassman amp and the clean channel on my Roland compares very favourably, but hands down, for overdriven insane sustain, it's Roland all the way. The sound can seem muddy at times but I find that adjustment of the 3 volumes helps. New tubes also help! One small problem is the tube sockets for the 6L6s; they put a metal clip for the AX7 but the big old 6L6s just hangin upside down with no support, rattle an awful lot and I think rob power. I am replacing my stock sockets, one of which is cracked, with ceramic sockets with spring tube clamps. THAT oughtta hold 'em!

Like I said, this amp has been with me since 1979 when I walked out of the store with it. It has never failed, but again, the 6L6 sockets have gotten old and I'm replacing them.

Around 1990, when I blew it up while wearing headphones and blowing myself away with the sustain, Roland was able to provide my tech with schematics and he was able to fix it at very low cost. Unfortunately, the reverb unit no longer works. Hasn't been a problem as my sound guys usually have a nice digital delay (tape echo back in the day) in the FX rack.

I've been playing guitar for almost 30 years, also play keyboards, drums, harmonica, trumpet and accordion.
I play a '71 Les Paul custom with an SG pickup in the bridge (back) position and regular P90 at the neck (front).
I would track down another if this one were lost or stolen! After 27 years, it has grown on me. I delivers an amazing phat fat loud sound. Compared well to the Mesa all in ones of the era, for a lot less money, and offered the solid state features like effects loop and EQ options, line out, etc. Marshall stack was the other way to go, and again, too much dough, and too much space in the house, plus too much lugging. Again, spring clamps or metal clip ceramic sockets for the 6L6 tubes would've saved me some problems!

For such a small amp, it has a lot of options... (for an an early 80's amp that is!)

I really like the sound of this amp, I use it on the clean channel with the volume set to about 8.5

The over all sound is pretty stable. I only use Groove Tubes in it and replace them every couple of years or so.

I've slowly moved from the big stacks to smaller combo's. I moved to a couple of marshall 30 combo's live, but for the past six year I've been using the bolt60 and although it's been smashed about it's yet to skip a beat.

Note: the back pannel was smashed in on the way to a gig up the coast back in about 1999, So I've been using it as a full open backed amp since.

don't know, never had to call for it.

I've been playing guitar since 1983.
my gear is pretty simple:
Guitar 1956 maple strat ( DiMarzio HS1 pickups )
Guitar 1989 Jap Strat ( DeMarzio HS3 pickups )
Guitar 1985 Profile Strat copy ( DeMarzio HotRail at the Bridge end )
Guitar 1970 Maton accoustic ( after market under bridge pickup )
Effect 198? RAT drive pedal
Effect 1987 Jim Dunlop Wah Wah ( Cry Baby )
Effect Roland GS6 rack mounted multi-effect.

I picked up the Roland 60 amp to use at home, as I was using a WASP 200watt Stack live and would leave that with the rest of the FOH gear. but after loading the WASP head and quads in and out of gigs for a couple of years, I needed to find something smaller ( lighter ).
I started using a couple of Marshall 30 combo's, but they only lasted for about three years. So I ended up using the Roland and have been for about 8 years now.

I use the amp mainly for recordings. The delivered power is amazing, far loud enough. I'm using dynamic mics because of the power, and because of the sound: a condenser mic would have to be attenuated, and its sensibility to high frequencies would be of no use, because the amp is POOR in high end.
Versatility is definitely not the point: the overdrive channel is problematic, and the sound is warm but not so precise.
The overall response curve I have measured (fixed EQ, many takes with different guitars) is not always relevant. To me it is due to the electrical design. The grounding is not 100% efficient: I get some volts for free each time I'm plugging off...

I'm playing a late 1970's active Blade Levinson Strat-style and a Les Paul Standard with Alnico humbuckers.
If the amp is not very versatile, it fits very well with the style I'm playing: rock, songwriting, spanish and arab tunes/mixed with rock patterns. The amp is noisy, more than other tube amps. Again, the electric design is confusing. But the noise floor is ok for me.

I was unable to distort the clean channel, even at high levels.

The overdrive channel is problematic. It has a poor sustain, but a nice "cracky" - read:light distorted - attack. I was able to make it sound ok, but it comes to amazing settings which affect the musicality. The light distorted attack on overdrive channel is due to the ECC83 tube I'm using together with 2 Groove Tube 6L6.

But the ECC83 helps to get a beautiful clean sound with the guitars I'm playing.

It is a "3rd-hand" amp: a friend bought it from a pro guitarist, and sold it to me. I wouldn't use on a gig without backup (at least tubes+fuse), just like any other amp.
The amp never broke down, I change tubes regularly.

Reliability seems to be a strong point with that amp. Mine is almost 30 years old, and I'm using it every day, playing and recording between "2" and "4" - getting over "4" is not possible to me, see what I'm saying above about the delivered power :-)

I love it because it's ...imprecise and very warm-sounding.
If it was stolen or lost, I wouldn't buy the same amp. My dream is: the warmth of the Roland Bolt 60 with more precision and a more detailed response, especially in the high end.
I compared it to a Marshall JCM (far too "heavy rock" for my style) and a genuine Fender Twin 100 W (beautiful). The Fender would be nice but a little poor in medium frequencies.

The Roland Bolt 60 is very reliable and offers a powerful, consistent warm sound. The overdrive channel is not good, but for distorted sound, playing on the clean channel with a good pedal is a-ma-zing.
The Bolt 60 is an excellent entry amp to practice and record, and loud enough for gigs.

OK the features are a joke. Confusing channel switching, 3 "volume" controls + master volume. You can put the FX loop pre of post EQ???? They spent their R&D money on weed and call girls if you ask me.

Here is the skinny on this amp: the clean is sound is PRETTY GOOD. Not amazing, not very good, pretty good. It has 2 6L6 tubes, if you replace those with some good ones, put in a nice 12AX7 in there too, and DONT USE THE DISTORTION CHANNEL. Argghgghgh it sounds like bees humping in mud. Kills all your tone.

Just use a NICE stompbox gain pedal and you will be good to go.

Still works after 20+ years.

I'm guessing they wouldnt even know what you're talking about if you mention the Bolt 60. "Check the S/PDIF output" is what they would tell you LOL.

Worth $150 for a nice little beater of an amp. My cats use it for a scratching post, I guess its useful for something.

Definitely try to buy a vintage 60s fender if you can swing it. I see bassmans going for like $200 all the time on craigslist. This would be a second choice to vintage fender for decent clean tone.

Everyone know its a 1980's limited release and Roland's only tubie. Mine's a head unit and I'm a 1969 harp player who shoulda picked up the guitar a long time ago, so I'm short on experience but heavy on music styles.

I play(?) an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus (basic alnico humbuckers)and also use the low impedance input for harping. Volume is no problem with mine - it appears to have been used but not abused - has two newish looking 6L6 GT tubes and it is loud from 3 onward. Distortion channel is a trick to make good sound with but the clean channel stays clean. I'll get a stomp box for delay and other effects.

Seems solid with excellent pots, solid jack connections and no noises excpet mine...

No need here yet...

For my first amp I feel fortunate to find this one - doubt another one os coming along any time soon again so I'll keep this well guarded. A great buy at just $165 - I built a 2X12 pine board/spruce ply cab for it with tweed covering and 160 watts of potential. Have no comparative experiences so it's gotta be good enough for now - I love it actually - it plays loud quite nicely, thank you very much. Anyone know where I can get the two-button foor switch - or a schematic to make one?

This is some kinda 80s amp. Its no valvetronix on versatility, but it is the only tube amp from roland. I play nothing too heavy and love blues and jazz feels. it can really get some cool rock a billy sounds from the right tele. mine has a fane speaker that i know nothing about, and a Qc electronics reverb which I also no nothing about. it came to be beat to hell and wouldnt play more that 20 minutes. someone who had it before me got crafty relpacing a relay and mad the amp go crazy so I relpace the relay with hard wiring, and sodered a new fuse holder in. thats about al I have done for now. the channel switch from roland is a must have. for the switching. the knobs look sweet so dose the whole orange face motif.

the cleam channel has an amazing warmth to it. it makes the guitar sing. I have some old rca tubes in it now and am about to get some vintage tubes from my tube supplyer and replace the 6l6s and the 12at7 with a 12 ax7 so the preamp wi be a little hotter and more to my liking. the distortion is a bit to bland for my taste. it lacks sustain for some reason. it is like is is almost muti9ng my guitar. i think it might be because of my tubes or something, I dont know. Iwas thinking about building a mesastyle preamp for it to get the exact sond that i want with 2 12ax7s, but I think it might just be the 12at7 that I have in it now that is making me want more. other than that it is an amazing sounding little combo. I think the fane speaker I have helps add to the fell of my map.

mine has been through hell and tampered with like mad and still works, go roland. I am going to find the schematics for it one day and when I do it is over i amgoing to make these in my kitchen. they are amazing little amps.

none to be had

this is one of the funnest amps to play . through a 57 on it and crank it up a tad and you are good for almost any vintage sounding gig you care for. I play it with a tele and it makes me want an es 135 with p 90s. I have a Vox valvetronixs I play on gigs too and having both of these amps is a life saver for those mellow tube souds and just the slight mesa hint that you can find in the bolt. I can sond how i want when I want with no problems. I am prolly going to record with this amp also. it has the sond and the fell for some songs I play. I have had it about a year and have finally gotten it nearly perfect (tuning this amp I mean).

Tube Power amp, it uses two 6L6 and one 12AT7 for phase inverter.
60watts of power but it's amazingly loud.
Extremely versatile, good for jazz, blues, rock, and with a Boss Metal zone pedal it will be good for metal.
Features
Hi and low imputs,2 channels overdrive and clean, reverb, effects loop with a nice selector where you can choose to put the effects before equalizer, post equalizer or post volume. It can operate with a 2 button footswitch for changing channel and for reverb. Headphone jack, so you can practice at night.

For more information go to this Bolt 60 website,check specification in the menu:

http://bolt60.no.sapo.pt/

The clean channel is really warm, here you feel the tone of the 6L6 tubes shinning and the sound it?s really close to a Fender blackface. This channel stays clean even at high volumes, I feel that it has a more presence in high frequencies but you can adjust the equalizer as you wish, until you get your equilibrium. The Overdrive channel is not has good has the clean one, here the solid state preamp makes a huge difference, the sound is a bit muddy and harsh, not that natural and rich overdrive that a hot preamp valve gives. Although I still find it useful, and I use it in my band, you have to find a balance between the 2 volume overdrive knobs until you get a reasonable sound out of it. The 2 volume knobs in the overdrive (like the MarkI) are a little tricky, the volume 1 adds more gain and the sound becomes more trebly, the volume 2 adds more fatness and volume to the overdrive, so you have to balance the 2 to get your sound. But if you want a really good overdrive I advise you to use a rat pedal or a tube scream over the superb clean channel, that will work out very well. The reverb it?s nice, nothing like a tube reverb, but it does the job quite well. The Bolt 60 is really, really loud don?t let the 60 watts fool you, I play in a heavy band with a maniac drummer and I never put my volume above 3 (hi input). It will handle the small clubs gigs and rehearsals with no problem, and sometimes I fell that one speaker isn?t enough for all this power. The amp has some constant hum even if the guitar isn?t connected, it can be annoying if you aren?t playing but this hum is normal in all tube amplifiers.

It's an old tube amp, you have to know how to care care of it, and keep changing the tubes from time to time.
The amp it's extremely well built, like a tank, if you have a regular servicing I'm sure you can depend on it.

This was the only tube guitar amp produced by roland, they don't service it anymore, neither they have information about it, it's a shame.
To service this amp you have to check for a good tube amp technician, and it will be in good hands.

I've been playing for 10 years now, I own a lot of gear, and I've played with various tube Marshals, Fenders, Ampeg.
I love its clean sound, the fashion look and the affordability. If the preamp was a tube one, this amp would be perfect, but you can have an external distortion unit for that, so that's not big problem.
If the bolt 60 was stolen or lost I would be searching everywhere for another one, I really love this amp.

For more information check my website dedicated to the Bolt 60 and feel free to contribute:

http://bolt60.no.sapo.pt/

This amp is obviously as a highly versatile lead guitarists rig. But I(being a nutter!) use it as a BASS AMP.I dont really use many of the versatile features, but i do feed it with a compressor and Eventide harmonizer sometimes. Running on 6L6 tubes with a silicon front end, this amp is VERY reliable! the only problem has been a loose power switch!

I play Three Rickenbacker 4001s(78fireglo;79maple;2001jet) and an old Hohner precision clone. The 78 Ricky sounds absolutely AMAZING through this little amp! Imagine Chris Squire and Geddy Lee in full attack mode!I dont really mess with the amp's distortion too much but I run the basses through an external compressor and sometimes an Eventide 949H harmonizer. It is a very "valvey" sound out of this little thing! Imagine a mid 70's Ampeg SVT!, when it's plugged in to a big cabinet! The overload is fun for moments of lunacy!
Overall its a nice sounding little amp with a BIG heart.

Loose toggle switch!(power) Otherwise seems pretty indestructible. I inherited it from Graham Gouldmann of 10CC and he rated it too.The tubes are nicely "mellow"

never tried. I'm an electronics engineer so I DIY

Playing bass on and off since '78.Other gear as mentioned Eventide Harmonizer(take a bow Brian May), Eventide digi delay,Boss compressor, Mxr Phaser. As mentioned various Ricky's.
To conclude;this is a damn good little amp with a much bigger sound than you might think.....and as reliable as a Toyota!

Mesa Boogie clone, pretty well made, top sound. 2 channels with shared EQ. Different effect loop settings possible. 60 watts valve amp, loud enough for most occasions.

Superb warm sounding amp. I mainly use the clean channel but if you want Carlos Santana or Larry Carlton sounds the drive channel will do a good job. Good harmonics. The amp has got a slight hum, even when nothing is plugged in, but I guess that's pretty normal for a valve amp. You can only hear it at very low volume anyway so it's nothing to worry about. I love this amp, use it mainly for Jazz + Blues without effects. You don't need any effects for a quality sound like this and the reverb is top notch.

I've got my since 12 years and I play a lot but there were no problems so far. I never even replaced the tubes.

Can't say, never dealt with them.

This amp is of superb quality and sounds like you expect a 6L6 valve amp to sound. I would search all over the world to get another one if it was stolen. I'm so used to it, it became a real family member to me. They are pretty rare now, a shame that Roland never made a quality amp like this since.

The Roland Bolt 60 was marketed (in Australia) between 1981 and 1984. (Acording to the Sonics Yearbooks. The price new was $795AUD.) Mine was 'as new' when I got it in 1992 and did not seem to have had a lot of use. The amp is quite loud for its size and wattage and the single 12" speaker seems to be able to handle the volume easily both clean and distorted. I use the amp for gigs (sometimes open air.) It has rarely been miked through the PA rig. It is fully featured for an amp of this period having 2 footswitchable channels (sharing the same EQ but this has not proved to be a big problem,) FX loop with a nifty switch to vary the signal path of the Effects, Line out and Headphone Jack. It can also run an extn. speaker although I have never needed to do so. The footswitch came with the amp as original equipment. There is a tube in the front end but has something to do with the reverb rather than being used for drive. The Output tubes are 6l6GC (very common and available.)

I use it for a wide variety of styles from retro rock to blues, jazz and musicals. use an Ibenez Blazer reissue which has an SSH configuration and also a semi-acoustic jazz box with humbuckers. It seems at home with all styles and volume levels. The drive channel has 2 pre-amp volumes pots and a master. The distortion gets very unsubtle if you have volume 1. past about 5. Volume 2 I set about 8. andthe master to balance with the other channel which is just a single volume pot. This gives a crunchy power valve distorion on Ch.1. and a clean sound on Ch.2.
for solo distortion I use an Ibanez Fat Cat which is configurable between singing overdrive and full on distortion. I swapped the original Mullard tubes a couple of years ago for Groove Tubes which has lifted the clean headroom significantly. I would not use Ch.1. for full on distortion but it is ideal in the role as described above.

This amp has never missed a beat but then I have always looked after it. It developed a mild crackle some years ago but serviced by a local tube amp service guy who diagnosed a fault with the FX loop switch and was able to replace it without difficulty. I have used it regularly without a backup and will continue to do so. It is pretty heavy for its size but this seems pretty standard for tube amps.

I have not even tried to approach Roland about this amp. They ceased production on this amp nearly 20 years ago and to my knowledge have never manufactured another tube amplifier so it is unlikely that they would have anyone capable of giving them proper care. A tube amp specialist would be quite capable although they tend to sniff a bit because the amp is made by Roland and because the front end is not all tube. The build quality appears to be such that you would not worry unless the amp had been abused in which case you may not buy it

I have been playing for 37 years and have owned and still own a variety of amps, both tube and solid state. The Roland Bolt 60 would probably be the most versatile. I basically bought it as the only 60 watt tube amp I could afford at the time and the fact that I still use when I can probably afford something newer and more expensive is testimony to its longevity and sound quality. They are still occasionally avalible to buy and I would consider another one if the condition was still OK. The only possible improvement would be separate EQ for each channel but this is (in my case,) only a minor quibble.